Lug-folding machine



April 28, 1931. E. w. SIBLEY 1,802,357

LUG FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1931. w, $|BLEY 1,802,357

LUG FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 13 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 28, 1931. E, w, S BL'EY 1,802,357

LUG FOLDING MACHINE I Filed March 13, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Allorneg April 28, 1 31- E. w. SIBLEY LUG FOLDING MACHINE Filed March 15 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Edward W JIiJl y W JCRM-M} Afiomqy Patented Apr. 28, 1931 TED STATES.

PATEN oF F1cE j EDWARD W. SIBLEY, OF KENMdRE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR TQ REMINGTON RAND INCL, i OFzBUFFALO, NEWLYORK HUG-FOLDING MACHINE' Application filed March 13, 1929. swarm. 346,636.

This invention relates to means for producfolded lugs for'index card holders and more particularly to an automatic machine for performing all of the operations incident 5 to the manufacture thereof.

In the manufacture of certain types of visible index cardholders elongatedstrips of comparatively stiff paper or light fibre, folded longitudinally and bent flat upon themselves,

I0 are used. Strips of this character are commonly referred to in the artas folded lugs.

Folded lugshave heretofore been manufactured by various manual and semi-automatic processes which haveproven wasteful from a standpoint of labor cost, plant, efficiency andmaintenance, and which have-presented, in addition, the problem of maintaining auni'form standard of accuracy. Further, it hasibeen found that the fold formed bythe methods above referred to has not been as flat as is desired and, has, therefore, not

been entirely satisfactory when-used in succeeding manufacturing operations. I An objectof the present invention is toprovide means for producing accurate and cleanly folded lugs with a minimum of expense for laborand lip-keep. Another object is to construct a machine for performing, automatically and in timed relation, the several operations necessary to produce folded lugs of the character described. A further object of the invention is to provide. mechanism for automaticallyyfeeding a': strip or ribbon of paper, severinga comparatively narrow section from said strip and delivering it to a folding device in a. heated condition,.-fol ding the section .of paper and pressing the fold under. considerable pressure, and finally delivering a continuous stack of. folded sections innested relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Imachine which may-be conveniently adjusted to accommodate the manufacture of tain limits established by commercial requirements.

' Stillanother object is to constructafold heated blade.

' lugs of any size orproport-ion between oer-x a heated condition while it is being folded, so that the material will fold more readily and will take. a more permanent set than would normally be the case. A still furtherobj ect'of the invention i's'to provide meansfor folding the lug absolutely flat upon itself, while heated, and holding it in-thisposition under a considerable degree of pressureto insure the'best fold that it'is possible to produce in the material-being used without scoring or otherwise breaking down the fibre or structure of thematerial itself. Another object of the invention is to so deliver the finished lugs that they may be removed from the machine in stacked rela- 765 tion, to facilitate handling both in removal andin subsequent manufacturing process. *1

A further objectis tocombine instrumentalities for pre-heating, feeding, cutting,

folding, squeezing and stacking the beforementioned lugs sothatth'ey will operate in timed'relation with each'other. The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in the appended specification and claims.

Themachine which forms the subject of the present invention is adapted to receive a strip of comparatively heavy paper, fibre, or other deformable material and to successively feed, cut ofl','-fold' and deliver folded strips of the material in" stacked relation m To facilitate folding the material, it is passed over aheatingblock on entering the machine and inbeing folded, it is acted upon by a a Several convenient adjustments arexprovided which make it. possible to produce lugs of various. sizes without extensive alterations.

In, the accompanying drawings pFigQl is a plan view of the machine.

F ig. 2 is a partial elevation viewed from the delivery end of the machine.

Fig. 3 isan-elevational view of what we willhereinafterconsider the left hand side of the machine. p i 95 Fig. lis a similar view showingthe right hand side of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a ertical longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. A

Fig. 6 is: a fragmentary sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 2 showing the folding blade actuating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a fra mentary sectional view on the line 7-7 of ig. 2 showing the stacker bar actuating mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line &8 of Fig. 2 showing the cutting knife actuating mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3 showing the siidable mounting means for the adjustable frame members.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed view of the adjustable ratchet feed device shown in Fig. 3.

ig. 11 is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Mounted upon a base 1 is a pair of frame members 2 and 3 which carry the feeding and cutting mechanism and a second pair of frame members 4 and 5 which carry the folding and stacking mechanism. For reasons which will hereinafter become apparent the frame members 2 and 3 are secured to an intermediate base member 6 which is adjustable toward and away from the frame members 4 and 5. A tie plate 7 is attached at each end to the top of the frame members 2 and 3, by screws 8, for maintaining parallelism between said frame members. A tongue 9 on the intermediate base member 6 is adapted to slide in a longitudinal gIOO"G 10 in the base 1, Fig. 9, to maintain parallel alignment between the two pairs of frame members. A pair of screws 11 and 12 cooperate with a bracket 13, secured to the base 1, to move the feeding and cutting mechanism toward andaway from the folding and stacking mechanism and to lock said feeding and cutting mechanism in adjusted position. Journalled in bearings in the frame members 4 and 5 is a main drive shaft 14 driven through a pulley 15 by any suitable source of power such as an electric motor. A pinion 16 secured to the shaft 14 drives a gear 17 which is mounted upon a cam shaft 18 also journalled in hearings in the frame members 4 and 5. The cam shaft 18, through a series of cams mounted thereon, actuates all of the working parts of the machine.

The strip of paper 19 upon being drawn into the machine by feed rolls 20 and 21, secured to shafts 22 and 23, respectively, is passed over a heating block 24 carried between a pair of brackets 25 secured to the frame members 2 and 3. The block 24 is provided with holes adapted to receive electrical heating cartridges 26 of a well known commereial type. A plate 27 also carried between the brackets 25 insures the paper being kept at all times in close contact with the heating block 24. This pro-heating of the material causes it to lend itself more readily to the folding and squeezing operation and,

further, causes it to take a more permanent set than would otherwise be possible.

The before-mentioned feed rolls 20 and 21 are adapted to alternately feed the required amount of paper and rest for a period of time sufficient to allow the cutting, folding, and squeezing instrumentalities hereinafter described to perform their functions. The lower roll shaft 23 is journalled in bearings in the frame members 2 and 3 while the upper roll shaft 22 is ournalled in bearing blocks 28 which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in guides 29 formed in the said frame members. A helical compression spring 30 is disposed between the top of each bearing block 28 and a disc 31. The springs 30 cause the strip of paper 19 to be resiliently held between the rolls 20 and 21 and the pressure upon the paper may be varied by means of adjusting screws 32 in the tie plate 7 which bear upon the discs 31.

On what we have designated the right hand side of the machine, Fig. 4, the roll shafts 22 and 23 are fitted with a pair of gears 33 and 34 which cause the rolls 20 and 21 to rotate at the same peripheral speed at all times.

The lower roll shaft 23 has secured to its other end a ratchet wheel 35 which is shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. The ratchet wheel 35 is actuated by a pawl 36 carried, through a pin 37, by a lever 38 rotatably mounted at the extremity of the roll shaft 23. The pawl 36 is urged toward the teeth of the ratchet wheel 35 by a spring 39, but is prevented from contacting with said teeth for a predetermined portion of its stroke by a cam 40 which is rotatably mounted upon a hub 41 of the ratchet wheel 35. The position of the cam 40 which controls the amount of travel of the ratchet wheel is fixed by a detent 42. The detent 42 is positioned in a groove 43 in the frame member 2 and has a V-shaped end 44 adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 45 in the periphery of the cam 40. The detent 42 is further provided with an elongated slot 46 adapted to receive a screw 47. By loosening the screw 47, the detent 42 may be lowered and the cam 40 manually repositioned so as to bring a different notch in engagement with the detent 42. This adjustment alters the distance through which the projection 48 of the cam 40 disengages the pawl 36 and thereby determines the length of the strip of paper fed at each movement of the feed rolls. The pawl 36 and the lever 38 are caused to oscillate by a link 49 mounted at one of its ends upon the pin 37 and at its other end pivotally engaging one arm 50 of a trifurcatcd lever 51. ably mounted upon a rock shaft journalled in the frame members 4 and 5. The other two arms, 53 and 54, of the trifurcated lever 51 are fitted with rollers and 56 adapted to con tact with the peripheries of a pair of comple- The lever 51 is rotatmentary' cams 18.

' The strip of p'aper' 19, afterpassing between the feed rolls 20 and 21, projected along a shelf 59 secured to a bar 60 which is supported at its ends by the frame members Zand 3. The bar 60 also carries a lower cutting knife 61 which rests upon a pair of screws 62 and is held in position by screws 63 arranged in slotted holes 6 1 in the bar '60. The position of the cuttinglmife 61 may be raised to compensate for regrinding by loosening the screws 63 and adjusting the screws 62. The upper cutting knife 65 is carried by a cross head 66 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a p ir of gibs 67, Fig. 1, secured to the frame members 2 and 3. A plurality of studs 68, Fig. 5, arranged in apertures provided in the cross head 66, carry at their lower ends a pressure pad or holding plates 69and are adjustably limited in their downward movement by nuts 70; Helical compression springs 71 arranged be tween the cross head 66 and the holding plate 69 resiliently urge the holding plate in a downward direction. A pair of studs 72 are secured at their inner ends tc'bosses 73 provided at the upper corners of the cross head 66 and are each pivotally connected at their outer ends to an adjustable pull rod 74 which is pivotally connected at its lower: end to a lever 7 5 secured to a rockshaft 7 6 journalled in hearings in the frame members 4 and I I Referring to Fig. 8, the rock shaft 76 car 57 and 58'fixed to the cam shaft ries a bifurcated lever 77. having arms 7 8 and 7 9 fitted withrollers 80 and 81 adapted to engage, respectively, the peripheries of coinplem'enta ry cams" 82 and 83 mounted upon the cam shaft 18. The rotation of the came 82 and 83 causes the lever 77' and also the rock shaft 76 and the lever 75 to oscillate, thereby imparting a vertically reciprocating movement to the cross head 66 and the parts carried thereby. The holding plate 69 precodes the upper knife 65'on the downward strokeand holds the strip of paper 19 against displacement or mis-alignment during the cutting operation.

A bed 84 supported between the frame members A and 5, Fig. 5, terminates in an upwardly extending jaw 85 which forms one side of the folding die. A movable jaw 86 which is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in grooves 87 in the frame men bers 4 and '5 constitutes the other side of the folding die. The piece of material 88,'severed from the main strip 19, is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, as being disposed across the beforementioned folding die. A folding blade 89 is mounted in a cross head '90 which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a pair of gibs 91 secured to the frame members 4 and'5. Disposed in apertures in the cross head are a plurality of electrical heating cartridges 92 of a type pivot-ally connected at their outer ends to l the upper end of an adjustable pull "rod 95 which is pivotally connected at its lower end to a lever 96'secured to the rock sl1aft'52. The rock shaft-52, Fig, 6, also carries a bifurcated lever 97 having arms 98' and 99 fitted with rollers 100 and 101 adapted to .en-

gage, respectively, the peripheries of complementary cams 102and 103 fixed to the cam shaft 18. The rotation of the cams 102 and 108 causes the lever 97 and also the rock shaft 52 and the lever 96 tov oscillate, thereby imparting a vertically reciprocating movement to the cross head 90 and the folding blade 89. The foldingblade 89, on its downward stroke, bends the strip 88 into a V-shape between the jaws 85 and 86 and after said folding blade has been withdrawn from the die, the jaw 86 is caused to move toward the jaw 85, bending the strip 88 flat upon itself under considerable pressure. A plurality of links 104 are pivotally connected at one end to bosses 105 provided on the aw member 86 and at their other ends tolevers 106 fixed to a rock shaft 107 journalled in hearings in the frame members .4 and 5. The rock shaft 107 is caused to oscillate by a bifurcated lever 108, Fig. 4, having arms 109 and 110-fitted with rollers 111 and 119. which are adapted to cooperate with complementarycams113 and lld'mounted on the cam shaft 18. The oscillation ofthe rock shaft 107 causes a toggle action between the links 104 and the-levers 106 which reciprocates the jaw 86 horizontally in the grooves in timed relation with the remaining mechanism. 7 c,

It Willgbe seen that the length of one of the legs of the formed lug will correspond with the distance betweenthe cutting knife 65 and the folding blade 89. Since the construction of this machinecontemplates the manufacture of lugs of different sizes, it will frequently be desirable to alter the distance between said cutting knife and said folding 7 This change is effected by long1tud1- nal adjustment of the frames 2 and 3 as has blade.

been previously described.

A A stacker bar 115 is supported .at each end by an arm 116 secured to a rock shaft 117 journalled in bearings in the frame members 1 and 5. .At each end of the rock shaft 117 is mounted a' pinion 118 adapted to mesh with asegmental gear 119 mounted upon a rock shaft 120 also journalled in bearings inthe frame-members 4 and 5. The rock shaft 120also carries a bifurcated lever 121, Fig. 7, having arms 122 and 123 fitted at their ends with rollers 124 and 125 adapted to cooperate with a pair of complementary cams 126 and 127 mounted on the cam shaft 18. The rotation of the cams 126 and 127 imparts an oscillatory motion to the lever 121 and also to the rock shaft 120 and the segmental gear 119 which in turn causes the rock shaft 117 to oscillate through the medium of the pinion 118. The degree and timing of the oscillation of the rock shaft 117 is so regulated, by the contour of the cams 126 and 127, that as soon as the movable jaw 86 has been withdrawn, the stacker bar 115 pushes the formed lug down through the die and into stacked relation with the previously formed lugs indicated at 128 in Fig. 5 and returns to an inoperative position in the recesses 129 provided in the frame members 4 and 5, where it does not interfere with the movement of the cross head 90. As additional lugs are formed the stack 128 is pushed between a pair of guide plates 130 and 131 and onto the rails 132 from which they are manually removed in stacks of a size that may be conveniently handled.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a convenient, practical, and efficient machine has been provided fo the fulfillment of the hereinbefore stated objects. IVhile a single, specific construction of the machine has been outlined, it is to be understood that numerous changes might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding machine comprising a strip feeding mechanism, clamping members operating in timed relation thereto and a folder adapted to receive each strip of material from said feeding mechanism and to insert and partially fold the same between said clamping members for subsequent complete folding and creasing by said clamping members.

2. A folder comprising a strip feeding mechanism, clamping members operating in timed relation thereto and a single means for simultaneously preheating and inserting a strip of material received from said feeding mechanism l'JQtWGBH said clamping members to partially fold the same for subsequent complete folding and creasing under pressure.

3. A folder comprising a feeding mechanism for intermittently moving a web of librous material, shearing means supplied by and operating in timed relation to said feeding mechanism for severing strips from said web, a pair of clamping members movable toward and from each other in timed relation with said feeding mechanism, and a folder member provided with heating means for simultaneously preheating and inserting a strip between the clamping members to preform the same, said clamping members sub sequent to the insertion of the strip adapted to close upon and completely fold and crease the heated strip.

4. A folder comprising a strip feeding mechanism, a pair of clamping members movable toward and from each other in timed relation to said feeding mechanism, a folder adapted to insert a strip of material received from said feeding mechanism between said clamping members to partially fold the same for subsequent complete folding and creasin by the closing of said clamping members, and a stacker member engaging the creased strip through said clamping members and projecting the same therefrom in nested relation with previously formed strips.

5. A mechanism for folding a strip of fibrous material including means for heating said material in order that it will fold more easily and set more permanently, means for creasing said strip while heated and means cooperating with said creasing means for forcibly press ng said crease to obtain the maximum de cc of fold.

6. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold said strip and force itbetween said jaw members, and means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members.

7. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a )air of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold said strip and force it between said jaw members. means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members, and a stacker bar arranged to eject the folded lug from the aw and more it into nested relation with previously formed lugs.

8. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold said strip and force it between said jaw members. means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for suliisequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members, and a bar mounted for movement in an arcuate path and which, when reciprocated in one direction, engages the fold of the formed strip disposed between said jaw members and carries it through said jaw members and into nested relation with a continuous stack of previously folded strips.

9. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a vertically reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the strip to be folded from a comparatively large body of said material, a pair of horizontally oppose-d jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw members, means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the aw members, and a stacker bar, arranged to eject the folded strip from the jaw and move it into nested relation with previously formed strips.

10. An automatic machine for producing folded strips which includes variable means for intermittently drawing a ribbon of fibrous material into said machine, means for heating said material, a knife adapted to sever, from said ribbon, strips corresponding in size to the amount of paper fed by said variable feed mechanism, a vertically reciprocating folding blade for folding said strips, a horizontally reciprocating squeezing jaw adapted to subject the fold to pressure after the folding blade has functioned, a reciprocating stacking bar acting in timer relation with said folding blade and said squeezing jaw and adapted to remove the folded strip from the die and deliver it from the machine in nested relation with a stack of previously folded strips.

11. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a vertically reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the strip from a larger body of the material, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciproa eating folding'blade adapted to simultane ously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw members, means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip loe-v tween the aw members, andmeans permitting adjustment of the distance between the cutting knife and the folding blade for the purpose of altering the proportions of the folded strip. 7

12. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a vertically reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the strip from a larger body of the material, variable means for delining the size of the severed strip, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically'reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said ,ja w members, and means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members.

13. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, a vertically reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the strip from a larger body of thematerial, variable means for defining the size of the severed strip, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw members, means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members under pressure, and means permitting adjustment of the distance between, the cutting" knifeiand the folding blade and working in. combination with said variable strip size defining means; for vdeterminin'g'gthesize and proportions of the-folded strip. r

.14. In a mechanism for folding a strip of material, I a vertically .reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the stripfrom a larger body of thematerial, variable means. for de-' fining the size of'the severed strip-,-a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertia cally reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and forceit between said-jaw members, means acting'in timed relation Withsaid folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members under pres-. sure, means adapted to eject thefolded strip from the j aws and move it into nested relation with previously formed strips, and means permitting adjustment of the distance be.- tween the cutting knife and the folding blade and thereby determining, in combination with said variable strip size defining'means, the size and proportionsof the folded strip.

15. A machine forfolding a strip of mate'- rial comprisinga pair ofrolls mounted in parallelrelation and adapted to. draw a .con-

tinuous ribbon of -said material into the machine, a vertically reciprocating cutting knife adapted to sever the strip from said continu ous ribbon of the ,materiaha pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold thesevered strip and force it between said jaw members, and means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members.

16. A machine for folding a strip of material comprising a pair of rolls mounted in parallel relation and adapted to draw a continuous ribbon of said material into the ma chine, means for heating said ribbon of matemembers, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw members, and means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members.

17. A machine for folding a strip of material comprising a pair of rolls mounted in parallel relation and adapted to draw a continuous ribbon of the material into the machine, means for heating said ribbon of material to render it more readily deformable, a vertically reciprocating cutting. knife adapted to sever the strip from said ribbon of material, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw members means acting in timed relation with said fold ng blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the jaw members, and means for removing the folded strip from between the jaws and moving it into nested relation with previously folded strips.

18 In a mechanism for folding a stripof material, a. air of rolls mounted in parallel relation and adapted to draw a continuous ribbon of said material into the machine, meansifor heating said ribbon of material to render it more readily deformable, a vertically reciprocatin operating with said draw rolls for varying t e sizezof the severed strip, a pair of horizontally opposed jaw members, a vertically V reciprocating folding blade adapted to simultaneously fold the severed strip and force it between said jaw: members, means acting in timed relation with said folding blade for subsequently squeezing the folded strip between the aw members, means adapted to remove the folded strip from between the jawsand move it into nested relation with previously folded strips, and means permitting adjustment of the distance between the cuttin knife and the folding blade and thereby, etermining, in combination with said strip size varying means, the size and proportions of;the folded strip.

EDWARD W. SIBLEY.

cutting knife, means 00 

